His eyes widened, and I saw the familiar spark of greed in his expression.

“Fifty thousand?” he breathed.

“Yes,” I said. “But only if you sign the paperwork my lawyer is preparing. It’s just a standard disclosure to protect my remaining trust from Ryan’s creditors.”

“Okay,” Ethan said, nodding eagerly. “Okay, I’ll do it. Whatever you need, Sophia.”

“Come to my lawyer’s office tomorrow at nine,” I said. “And don’t tell your mother.”

“I won’t,” he promised.

I turned back toward the house without another word, walking slowly as if carrying a heavy burden.

Once inside, I locked the door and leaned my back against the wood.

My heart was racing, but I felt a cold sense of purpose.

The trap was set.

I just had to wait for him to walk into it tomorrow morning.

I walked back into the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water to soothe my dry throat.

As I reached for a glass from the cupboard, my phone vibrated on the granite counter.

It was a text message from an unknown number.

I picked it up and tapped the screen.